The PFT postseason awards are coming

Posted by Mike Florio on December 31, 2013, 9:55 AM EDT

In recent years, we’ve handed out the PFT postseason awards right after the regular-season ended, partially in the hopes of influencing some of the Associated Press voters who primarily cover only one team and tangentially keep an eye on the rest of the teams within that team’s division.

But since the AP awards are now kept under wraps until the night before the Super Bowl, by which time everyone has stopped caring about who won them, we don’t care about influencing awards that are kept under wraps for far too long. So we’re going to release our awards a bit more slowly.

Here’s the one-per-day schedule for the official PFT postseason awards, as determined via input from the PFT staff and other friends and advisors to the site.

December 31: Offensive rookie of the year.

January 1: Defensive rookie of the year.

January 2: Offensive player of the year.

January 3: Defensive player of the year.

January 4: Comeback player of the year.

January 5: MVP.

January 6: Coach of the year.

January 7: Executive of the year.

Feel free to make the case for or against anyone you see fit in the comments.

His sacks and batted balls were down but the Texans were the least passed against team in the league so he had far fewer chances to make plays in the passing game, yet had more QB disruptions this year in 2 fewer games than he did last year.

He had a QB disruption on 1 out of every 5 dropbacks….

He still made tons of plays in the run game as well at #2 in the league in TFLs.

ProFootballFocus gave him a better rating this year than they did last year, and last year he got their best rating of all time….

The Texans D actually gave up less yards this year than they did last year.

If the DPOY is truly who is the best defensive player in the league… it has to be JJ Watt.

But if I had to bet… I would say either Robert Quin or Richard Sherman

December 31: Offensive rookie of the year.
Eddie Lacy, dude runs like a beast, set some records for the pack and when there wasnt much consistency in the QB play, there was comin from him.

January 1: Defensive rookie of the year.
Kiko Alonson, could go to Sheldon Richardson either of these two are deserving.

January 2: Offensive player of the year.
Lesean McCoy (go eagles)

January 3: Defensive player of the year.
Luke Kuechly, MONSTER game vs the Saints and has been playing well all year.

January 4: Comeback player of the year.
T-Sizzle

January 5: MVP.
Peyton Manning

January 6: Coach of the year.
Bill Belichick, Although i do like Ried for this i think we have to think about how stacked that team already was. Charles was already a beast so was Tamba Hali and a few others have made it to past Pro Bowls[Berry, Johnson]

Bill had to handle the insane case of Hernandez and the injury problems of Gronk. Moving past Hernadenz fast and focusing on the season at hand.
Check these stats out, with a limited Gronk/Amendola and no Hernandez/Lloyd/Welker/Woodhead;
PTS – 27.8(3rd), PASS YDS – 255.4(10th),
RUSH YDS – 129.1(9th)

If Eddie Lacy isn’t the offensive rookie of the year something is wrong, 284 carries for 1167 yrds and 11 TDs plus 35 catches for 257 yrds in 15 games started but really only played in 14 games as he was concussed on his first or second carry week 2.

Justification: A truly prolific running back who was able to dominate in the run game even after his all-pro QB was lost to injury.

DROTY – Joe Vellano (NE Patriots)

Justification: Filling in for two injured all-pros, Vellano was able to hold his own and show his ability to dominate on the line.

OPOTY – Peyton Manning

Justification: The records speak for themselves. Others (like Brady) could have done as much or more with his weapons, but he DID achieve an amazing season. I withhold MVP because I suspect the Broncos would have the same record with Osweiller at QB, thanks to the amazing talent on this offensive roster.

DPOTY – Chandler Jones

Justification: His ability to rush the QB, contain the edge on running plays and even drop into coverage were one of the few aspects of the Patriots’ defense to remain stable with all the injuries that occurred to the other stars on the roster.

MVP – Tom Brady

Justification: Anticipating a gameplan with Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski as his stars throughout the off-season, Brady had to make do without any of them for virtually the entire season. While his numbers don’t reflect an MVP season on their own, Brady continued to shine with the most important statistic: wins (12 games and almost earn home field advantage in the AFC). This was with makeshift starters from week to week. Many of these wins came with last minute drives to come from behind in the fourth quarter against playoff teams. No other QB could have achieved this (even Manning), and the result was that Brady single-handedly willed the Patriots to a first-round bye in the playoffs. With any other QB, the Patriots injuries would have resulted in missing the playoffs.

COTY – Bill Belichick

Justification: With so many injuries, the Patriots had to resort to starting as many as 11 rookie starters in a game this year and also had to deal with a last minute change with the loss of Aaron Hernandez and the ongoing injury issues with Gronkowski. The Patriots lost 5 Probowl starters to IR this year, and still found ways to fill those positions with quality depth. Despite that, the Patriots won 12 games and came extremely close to taking the first seed from the record-breaking Broncos – in part by beating them.

EOTY – Nick Caserio

Justification: With so many injuries, the Patriots had to resort to starting as many as 11 rookie starters in a game this year and also had to deal with a last minute change with the loss of Aaron Hernandez and the ongoing injury issues with Gronkowski. The Patriots lost 5 Probowl starters to IR this year, and still found ways to fill those positions with quality depth. Despite that, the Patriots won 12 games and came extremely close to taking the first seed from the record-breaking Broncos – in part by beating them.